Tag Archives: Henry Gilroy

Review: Droids In Distress by Michael Kogge (or, Something Meta This Way Comes)

Droids In Distress, by Michael Kogge, is an odd one. For me, that is, as a reviewer. The book itself is good, don’t worry about it. Droids In Distress is a direct translation – from the perspective of Ezra – of the TV series Star Wars: Rebels. Which puts me in a rather odd position. Should I review the story of the episodes? Should I review how the book conveys the story of the episodes? Should I review just the book as its own entity? And there’s the meta aspect of it all: since the book is an adaptation of a TV show, I’m essentially reviewing a synopsis in a book of a TV episode that’s on TV. Okay, I’m slightly confused now. Is this what it’s like to be in the Matrix?

After hibernating in a frigid cave on Hoth, we are back from our little winter vacation from Star Wars: The Clone Wars. The timing is impeccable as TCW is also back from it’s own winter break. There will be some minor spoilers below as to the subject matter of future TCW episodes in Season Four.

Where have we been in Season Four:

Season Four kicked off with the Mon Cala trilogy in which we are re-introduced to the Mon Calamari-Quarren rivalry, we parallel last season’s introduction of a young Tarkin by meeting his future slave and future leader of the Rebel navy Ackbar, and we met a new potentate in Lee-Char. From Mon Cala we traveled back to Naboo (again) in an episode that focused on the Gungans and General Grievous, and witnessed the heroic death of General Tarpals. Then we got the slightly odd Droids duology, featuring the misadventures of R2-D2 and C-3PO. Just when you start to wonder what the heck TCW was doing, they delivered the awesome four-part Umbara arc with the dastardly Jedi General Krell and the kick butt Clones of the 501st Legion. Before the holiday break began we saw the first two parts of the Slaves of the Republic trilogy, which is adapting the previous Dark Horse Comics story by the same title, written by TCW Season One head writer Henry Gilroy.

Bossk is mad Obi-Wan wouldn't give him his Jell-O

Where are we going in the second half of Season Four?

Much like last years TCW season, things are going to start heating up as the show moves towards the season finale. It is kind of odd that they choose to take the break in the middle of a trilogy, but that may be a Cartoon Network decision and not a Lucasfilm decision. Based on what we now know about the remaining episodes for this season, we will be wrapping up the Slavery arc, we will get a stand alone story featuring the return of Lux Bonteri and Death Watch, and we will then wrap up the season with two, four-part story arcs. The first story-arc will star Obi-Wan Kenobi as he goes under cover as a evil sniper from (dramatic pause for fanboy gasp) Condord Dawn! Concord Dawn is a planet within Mandalorian space and has a long history with the Fetts. Does this combined with the return of Death Watch foreshadow TCW revisiting the Mandalorians, setting up a story arc featuring a Mandalorian Civil War and the defeat of the neutral pacifists under the leadership of Duchess Satine? I sure hope so!

The final four-part story arc will lead nicely into the 3D re-release of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace as it will star Savage Opress and his brother Darth Maul. How will they put Humpty Dumpty Maul back together again? I guess we will just have to wait to find out.

TV Guide.com has a brief description of the Lux-Death Watch episode, “A Friend in Need,” which will air on January 13th, 2012.

Lux renounces Dooku and the Separatists, and joins an extreme faction known as the Death Watch.

The move from patrician to Mandalorian is an interesting character development for Lux. From the EU we know that being Mandalorian means (even the evil Death Watch version) takeing people from all species and backgrounds; it is less about your biology then it is about you adopting the culture.

It will be interesting to see how Ahsoka handles the conflict of emotions, being happy Lux is standing up to Dooku and the Separatists, but being concerned about his new friends.

It certainly sounds like TCW is going to be very interesting in the last half of this season. I know what I will be watching this Friday night! Will Anakin decide to join with the Zygerrian Queen or will he be able to save himself, his freinds and the Togrutan slaves? This Friday at 8:00 P.M. on the Cartoon Network we will find out.

Come back soon to the Star Wars Report for continuing coverage of TCW and all things Star Wars!